The Sora Reports
by didsomeonesayventus
Summary: This is my story. The story of my adventures in the Realm of Sleep after deciding to head back to train. First POV Sora telling his (mis)adventures in the Realm of Sleep after DDD.
1. Sora Report 1

I was running. Running so fast my legs were just fuzzy blurs of needle-like pain. My lungs were pumping uselessly, already too starved of oxygen and forcing my breaths to gasp and shudder for air. My vision was making the road ahead dance and sway. I couldn't keep this up much longer, but I HAD to.

The darkness was closing in.

I was already running for what seemed like hours, occasionally tripping on a cold, slimy tendril and barely escaping, but for every foot I gained, it got two more closer. I wasn't going to lose myself again, I _couldn't_ lose myself again-

I shut my eyes and covered my ears with my hands as the shadows behind me wailed in pain and torment. They were all too cacophonous to make out individually, but I heard names, anguished cries of grief, people screaming for someone to save them. Then horrible, cold, mocking laughter- laughter I knew all too well. Xemnas, Ansem, the youth(who actually looked a heck of a lot like Xemnas now that I think of it)who chased me through this dream realm-

I tripped, and felt my ankle twisting into a useless sprain. I desperately limped for escape, but ended up screaming in absolute fear and dread as I was once again enveloped in darkness's cruel embrace-

I woke up truly screaming.

There was a startled mewl as Wandanyan rolled off my hotel bed and onto the floor, landing with a soft, plushy, THUMP. It peeked over the edge as I gripped at my shirt and necklace, taking deep breaths and trying to calm myself down. It then flopped right onto my lap and began worriedly licking my sweaty, fearfully contorted face with a few soft whines.

I shakily laughed "I-I'm fine, Wandanyan. Just a bad dream again..." After a moment of dubious silence I scooped up the Dream Eater and hugged it for dear life.

I hated these nightmares. They never left me alone, they never pulled any punches; just night after night of agony and suffering. Seeing loved ones die- sometimes by my own hand -seeing myself becoming corrupted again and lost to the darkness, being stuck here in the realm of sleep, completely alone and forgotten. Why wouldn't they just leave me alone? I had enough sadness to deal with for failing the Mark of Mastery Exam- something I thought I would pass without lifting a pinky finger.

I flopped back onto my pillow, then rolled over and buried my face in the soft fabric. I sighed as my teary eyes dried up on the material. That stupid exam was why I was here in the first place. I just had to bungle things up like that, I just HAD to blindly follow the bad guys until it was too late. If Riku wasn't there, if most likely be...

I shuddered, deciding to cut off my thoughts there and I began a steady rhythm:

Breathe in.

...

Breathe out.

...

Breathe in.

...

Breathe out.

...

Breathe in.

...

Breathe out.

...

I took in the warm, pillow-smell and tried calming myself down to get back to sleep-

With the most perfect timing, my alarm clock started beeping.

I utilized Neku's colorful vocabulary and groaned loudly in annoyance.

...

Now dressed and walking among the buildings of the Third District, I yawned. Wandanyan mewled again as it peppily bounced by my side.

"Yeah, yeah, I get it, you're more of a morning person than me..." I grumbled, then sleepily rubbed my eyes "I used to be one, too." I growled out the last bit "When I could get a decent night's sleep."

I checked my bearings again: Third District, nothing special, since I needed to be in the fourth. I glanced at the fountain bubbling in the corner, then walked over and pulled out about 1000 munny. I was desperate now. I tossed all 1000 into the water, wishing as hard as I could for the nightmares to leave me alone. Not the monsters that plagued the Realm of Sleep, of course. I actually would like more of those to take out and gain experience from.

Apparently they finally learned Keyblade = death. Horrible, horrible, death.

I sighed, putting my hands in my pockets and walking off into the fourth district. I suppose Wandanyan ran off on its own to take out a Nightmare.

I smiled upon seeing a familliar spike of orange hair. I waved, increasing my pace "Hey! Neku!"

The introverted teenager didn't even turn from the graffiti on the brick wall, only raising his hand "Hey, Sora." I pulled up to him, and he asked "Say, have you seen this yet?"

Of course I'd seen it before. This was the same area where I fought that big, Pete-like... Thing. But I decided to be nice and say "Nah, I haven't. Really nice."

"Only made by CAT, best Shibuya street artist ever." Neku said with a growing smile. I let him ramble off on his street-art loving tangent, listening to every word and actually learning a few more things. His bitter cynicism completely melted away as he rambled about techniques and motifs and messages with full enthusiasm.

But then he slowed, his hand drifting on the art and lingering sadly. He sighed "I miss home..."

I nodded "I miss home too..." I soon found myself listing off everything I missed so dearly "My friends, my parents, just sitting around without a care in the world, not fighting all the time, getting a good sleep-"

"Hey, since when were you me?" Neku cut me off with a chuckle, but then he put his hands in his pockets "So you've been missing out on a few winks because of the screaming, too, huh?"

I blinked, not even aware that Neku was suffering from my nightmares as well. Heck, he didn't even seem to know it was me as he continued on "Yeah, we have no clue who's waking up screaming bloody murder." He added with a discrete whisper "I think it's Beat, though. He's probably just too full of himself to admit he screams like a little girl."

I laughed. Maybe we'd be alright.

* * *

This is just a direct continuation of DDD, mostly will be covering the events in the Realm of Sleep. Hope you enjoy!


	2. Sora Report 2

I was burning. I could barely scream as I coughed in the smoke and noxious fumes of my own skin frying off in the flames. There was my screams and coughing ringing in my half-working ears, hissing as my body shriveled and blackened before my eyes. It felt like everything BUT air was filling my lungs. The worst part was I wasn't screaming incomprehensible gibberish:

"KAIRI! KAIRI HOLD ON!"

I reached for her through the flames, but stopped short on my hands and knees, held back by a white-hot, biting chain on my ankle, like I was some kind of animal. She reached for me, but our hands couldn't reach; not even brush fingertips together, just a tantalizingly small centimeter apart. I couldn't stop hearing her scream for me, telling me how much everything hurt, how she wanted me to comfort her.

Once again I heard previous foes laughing at our distress.

I collapsed, unable to keep my self up with arms that were twig-like and black as coal or soot. Which I would be eventually. Gosh, what a way to go... I was so tired of screaming, so dizzy, so numb to the pain and yet so aware of it. I hacked up a lung- literally, there was little pieces of tissue in whatever fluid came up -and watched as Kairi died right in front of me-

I woke up screaming again. This time I sobbed and clutched myself minutes afterwards, blubbering the gibberish of mourning and fear and rocking myself back and forth. Wandanyan kept rubbing up against me, but it didn't help at all. AT. ALL.

I heard Shiki whine, muffled from the room over and groggy "Hey! Shut up! A girl like me needs beauty sleep ya know!"

Neku, too "We get it Beat, you scream like a girl-"

Beat "I DO NOT, YO! Now go to sleep!"

Rhyme "Come on, no use crying over spilt milk guys..."

I used the opportunity to calm myself down, and my sobbing faded away to a softer whine. I grabbed Wandanyan "That one was so real... so real..." It whined worriedly and soothingly in response. It was times like this I wanted to quit. Abandon all prospects of making up my Exam and just head home and cling to Kairi and Riku as if they were going to die tomorrow.

I glanced around my room, wondering if I should switch for another night. It was the Green Room, the one Leon and Yuffie kept me in during my first stay in Traverse Town. I reminded myself it wasn't causing the nightmares by subconsciously reminding me of those terrifying first few days or anything, recalling last time I switched rooms with Beat and Rhyme and ended up having even worse dreams. It seemed like this familiarity kept them subdued, rather than enhanced.

I sighed and reluctantly sank back into my pillows in a feeble attempt to get myself back to sleep.

...

In the morning- after some discussion on who was keeping everyone up, because we were all losing sleep from it -I decided that Traverse Town was good enough without me. I'd keep it as a hub to go back to, but soon I was saying goodbyes to my friends and soaring through the worlds again.

I listened to what the Keyholes were saying, and eventually decided to head off to what had been my first world outside Traverse Town last time- after all, if I was gonna do this exam again, might as well work it out like what happened last time, right?

I landed in Le Cite de Cloches without a hitch.

Wandanyan bounded up to me in the crowd, and I drew up my hood- better to not draw attention, right? I told Wandanyan to shrink, and the Dream Eater became puppy-sized- not much bigger than my hand -and perched on my shoulder. It licked my cheek, and I patted it "Okay, Nightmare-eating time!"

I wondered if the place stayed how I left it or not as me and my Dream Eater bounced through hordes of Nightmares and toured the city. I saw Esmeralda, but she didn't seem to recognize me. I waved. She blinked, then waved back, lightly confused. Hmm, I WAS older now... maybe she didn't think I'd look so handsome after puberty "Hey Esmer-"

"Make way! Captain coming!" Someone yelled, and Esmeralda grabbed her money and vanished among the crowd. I stepped aside, tucking Wandanyan into my pocket, anticipating this captain of the guard-

My heart sank at the sight of Phoebus. So the world had reset itself, huh? Frollo was still around, Phoebus was still working for him, Esmeralda was still an outcast and Quasi... In "Eureka!" moment, I knew what the worlds were offering me now:

A second chance.

I'd screwed up a lot of things last time, but I swear here and now that I won't repeat my mistakes.

Wandanyan poked my side, wanting to move on. I patted my pocket "Don't worry, we will, I just need to think a sec..." I mused over what I knew, what had happened, and what my options were. Contrary to popular belief, I came to a sound conclusion in minutes without even the barest echo of a headache. I sighed lightly at that joke, Riku's voice echoing around in my memory "_Oh come on, Sora, you can't think without straining yourself."_

I missed home... I closed my eyes and rocked back and forth on my heels, caught in a daydream of my precious island home. The sea, the sunset, my friends... I felt myself smile in giddy joy, floating right up to the cloud nine that was the Destiny Islands-

A sharp prod from Wandanyan made the dream pop. I looked around, then sighed and started heading through the crowd. I moved Wandanyan from my pocket to the crook of my neck, letting it bury itself in my hair and hood. It'd be hidden there, not to mention comfortable. I giggled when it started licking my neck "H-hey! Stop that!" I burst out laughing, getting a few strange looks "Wandanyan stop that! You're ticklish!" I pulled my beloved Dream Eater out "Quit it you silly Wow-Meow you!"

It then looked over my shoulder and hissed, and suddenly I noticed the air was quiet from strain rather than confusion. I glanced over my shoulder cautiously, then slowly moved Wandanyan back into place and began moving to avoid the unmistakable, glowering figure of Frollo. I started towards an alleyway-

"Excuse me, young man, stop right there."

I took a deep breath, halting in my tracks. I turned around putting on one of my rare fake smiles and saying in a barely strained, but cordial tone "Yes, sir?"

Frollo looked me over "Excuse me, but you had some sort of creature-"

Wandanyan hissed from my shoulder, and I very calmly grabbed it and began petting it "Just my pet, sir. It likes perching on my shoulder." My voice had never been so even and flat. I wondered if Roxas was affecting it at all "It was just licking my neck, and it tickled. May I please carry on with my day?"

Frollo bent over, examining the Dream Eater "How odd, what is it?" he held out his hand, and immediately pulled back with a cry of pain when Wandanyan bit him "AGH! Insolent creature!"

"Sir, Wandanyan doesn't like strangers." I said, trying hard to keep myself from laughing "It's a Dream Eater, and it does know how to defend itself from people it doesn't like." I turned around "Get that hand properly bandaged and cleaned and it should be healed in a day. Good day, Judge Frollo."

I could hear him muttering curses, already aligning me with the Gypsies he sought to eradicate. Hmph, good. He should know that I'm not just a kid on the street with a weird pet, but honestly I can care much more to warn him. I rolled my eyes at the thought of him trying to beat me-

"Young man have you gone deaf?! Stop!"

I turned around "What?" I sounded a lot harsher than I wanted to. Frollo grinned "You might just have skill to join our guard, young, good strength, a nice, even head most times... We just got a new Captain." I felt myself tense as he wrapped his bony hand around my shoulder "What do you say? Would you care to enlist yourself?" I brushed him off "No. Thank you. Sir." I said through gritted teeth. I walked off "Now good day."

Me? Part of that poor excuse of a justice system? Hand me a torch, I'd rather burn first. Wandanyan started nuzzling my neck again, but my mouth hardly twitched into a smile. I ducked into an alleyway and sat there for a good several minutes, calmly collecting myself out of my rage. An angry head doesn't do anyone any good.

Me and Wandanyan went out and killed more Nightmares, and I wondered how things were going to play out. I was stronger, a little smarter, not quite as naive. Maybe I'd do better- no, I WILL do better. I promise, I will.

The festival was well underway when I arrived, people already celebrating and maybe a little tipsy. After a distasteful thought of turning back, I managed to catch Esmeralda dancing. She was wearing a different dress- red and figure clinging -but I knew it was her. There was a lot of hooting and hollering, but I just clapped. It was good dancing, but nothing deserving that much ruckus.

She finished, then blinked in surprise upon seeing me. I waved with a big smile. She waved half heartedly back, still looking confused. I turned to the cathedral, aware her gaze was still on me. I pointed at it, as if to point something out to a friend, and noted out of the corner of my eye she gazed at it as well. I turned back to see her dismounting the stage, then walking my way.

She stopped in front of me "Okay, who are you?"

"A friend, my name's Sora." I said simply.

She made a lightly disgusted look at the men ogling her, then grabbed my hand "Here, we can talk in my dressing tent-"

I pulled back, feeling myself blushing and my head growing a little lighter "Uh, no thanks-"

Esmeralda smiled "Don't worry, there'll be a curtain for privacy."

As she lead me off, I heard several groans of disappointment and outrage. Indeed, there was a curtain, so I felt a little better about talking with her in such a private area. "So, how do you know me, spiky-locks? Because you sure act like it." she asked from beyond the cloth.

"I've heard of you. You're a really good dancer." I said, coming up with the most convincing lie easily.

"I'm not that good, but I guess it brings in a good income."

She rambled off a little more while I pondered over how good I was at lying. Good guys weren't supposed to lie... right? Then again, most good guys weren't threatening the order of the Universe if they weren't.

"Did you hear me?"

I suddenly snapped up "Hmm?"

"I asked you what was up with Notre Dame. You acted like there was something important there." she sighed "It's beautiful, but it always is."

"There is something important there." I said cautiously. Esmeralda peeked over the curtain "What? A priceless treasure? Something to help Frollo exterminate us all? Something better than Sanctuary?"

"Someone who needs a friend."

Esmeralda seemed unamused at my response "There are a lot of people like that-"

"Quasi seriously needs someone to help show him there's something bigger out there than that lonely bell tower!" I blurted out. While I sat there in horror at how well I had bungled things up, Esmeralda came out in her usual clothes "Quasi?"

I backpedaled desperately "Did I say Quasi? I-I meant-"

"I know the bellringer. The whole town knows the rumors." She said simply "I wasn't aware you knew him, since it looks like you're a foreigner."

I shrugged, quickly recovering "Well, it IS a popular rumor-"

Shrieks suddenly came from outside "Monsters! Someone help!" I summoned my Keyblade "I'll handle this, you get inside the cathedral for safety!" Esmeralda nodded, rushing past me as I tossed Wandanyan out "Come on! We got Nightmares to eat!"

We cut through the throes of monsters easily. Maybe too easy. One thing for sure was how trashed the festival was now... Some of that being my fault thanks to a D-Link with Wandanyan. I really need to be more careful with that. As people began rebuilding, me and Wandanyan slipped into Notre Dame before anyone could notice we had done some of the damage.

I sighed happily at how calm and still the place was. I wasn't one for Christianity- or religion in general for that matter -but I could appreciate how much care was put into this place. Especially the lovely rose windows. I smiled as I basked in the serene light, feeling myself almost slip away in it.

Wandanyan barked, then ran off. I followed after "Huh? What is it?" Wandanyan bounded up several flights of stairs "Wandanyan! What's wrong?" It didn't listen to me, rushing across the rooftops and then plopping down.

I stopped, then smiled at the sight of Qasi and Esmeralda. Already it seemed like they were becoming close friends. Wandanyan looked up at me, smiling its sweet little smile with its tongue lolling out, and barked. Its stump of a tail wagged happily.

I patted it, then leaned against the railing of Notre Dame. What a gorgeous view... Kairi would love this... I sighed and slumped even lower. This was just like the sunsets of home, gorgeous and without a single blemish. I glanced downward, then quickly leaned over to get a better look.

Just fantastic, Frollo's surrounded the place! Wandanyan jumped up as well, then started growling. I patted it "Hey, hey now there's no monsters, just people being bad because it's their job." I paused at how that sounded. Heh, punch clock villains, who knew- I blinked and tilted my head at the laughter that echoed out of nowhere.

I knew that voice...

I turned around just to get a fleeting glimpse of Roxas turning and running down the stairs. His voice was echoing and garbled, but I was pretty sure he was saying "Catch me if you can!" My heart skipped a beat. I ignored Wandanyan's confused cries as I pursued the fast, fleeing figure. Roxas, that was Roxas I'm sure of it! Black and tan pants, a light tan jacket, a checkered band on his wrist, golden hair, blue eyes, his voice-

I smashed into someone with a metallic clang. My nose started bleeding and my head was spinning around, probably a slight concussion doing what concussions did best. I backed away, wincing, groaning, and pinching my nose to staunch the bleeding "S-sorry-"

"You should be more care- Hey! You're that kid who told me to quit!" Came a startled cry.

I opened my eyes to find I had crashed into Phoebus. There was even a small dent in his armor now with a light smear of blood. Phoebus. That was Phoebus and not Roxas. But I was so sure-

"Kid, you hearing me?"

I shook my head "Uh, sorry, finding it hard to focus..." I looked behind him "Say, have you seen a kid about my age with blond hair-"

"No, why would I? You aren't doing anything suspicious, are you-"

"No, no I'm not!" I said hurriedly. I gathered myself a little better "No, I just came up for the view and thought I saw..." I hesitated a moment, unsure how to explain our relations. "an old friend..." I said reluctantly. We weren't that close, or maybe we were closer. For the first time in my life, I couldn't really tell.

I walked past him "Well, I'll see you later-"

"About earlier," he said, stopping me by grabbing my shoulder as I brushed past "What do you mean, 'I should quit'? A lot of people would scramble for my position."

"I think you know the answer to that." I replied simply "Now if you'll excuse me, I gotta go." I dashed down the steps, then paused "Hey Phoebus?"

"Yes?"

I looked him over, then asked "How much you got on ya?"

"Ten gold pieces, why?" he replied cautiously. I grinned "Wager you each and every one of those pieces you're gonna quit or get fired before I leave."

He laughed "Oh, a bet like that is definitely in my favor; you're on."

...

Turns out, the soldiers were ordered to look for Esmeralda AND me. Wanted already, new record. Thanks to my previous knowledge of the city, I managed to jump around right over their heads. No one even noticed my shadow crossing the ground.

Outside of town, I stretched and yawned "Well, I think we're golden Wandanyan-"

"Sora?"

I turned to find Esmeralda approaching. I grinned "You made it out!"

"Yeah, thanks to Quasi." she grinned back. She then looked a little confused "You're right. While he isn't easy on the eyes, he's such a kind soul..."

"Don't judge on appearances!" I said with a smile and a playful finger wag. Esmeralda laughed "Yeah, I guess so, you're wise for your age."

"Huh, lots of people don't say so." I said folding my hands behind my head. Something has always been so reassuring and natural about that.

I felt the hairs of my neck stand up, then suddenly there was screams. I turned around rapidly to see a massive Dream Eater- whaddaya know, a Wargoyle like last time -destroying a nearby windmill, a family barely escaping with Phoebus's help. I held out my hand, Keyblade appearing "Esmeralda, you stay here, I'll take care of this!"

But before I got there, Frollo strode out into view "Captian, you do realize that this family was undergoing divine justice?"

"They were innocent, Frollo!" Phoebus barked at him. Frollo's eyes narrowed "The punishment for insubordination is death-"

"NOT ON MY WATCH!" I killed the Dream Eater in a single blow, and turned to Frollo "Ever heard of a fair trial?"

"Kid, I don't need-"

"Shush it, Captain." I sighed. Frollo was fuming, and I simply raised my Keyblade "You don't want to be on the receiving end of this, so how about you go on your merry way?" Frollo, realizing he was cornered, turned away "Phoebus, you are now dismissed from the guard." He sounded oddly pleased... too pleased.

After a brief moment, I heard the clinking of coins, but I muttered "Don't hand me it yet."

"Goodbye, you scum."

I was stunned to see an army of Dream Eaters attack as he walked off. "OKay, follow me!" I yelled as I charged. It took a good hour to get rid of them all, Phoebus shedding his armor to keep himself from getting too exhausted. I was pretty tired too.

"My dear boy, I think you've forgotten someone."

I was thinking of some very nasty, wash my mouth with soap words as I turned to find Esmeralda in Frollo's grasp. "Let her go."

"Oh I will, I'm not after her." Frollo said "I'm after you, the devil-child that caused the appearance of all these monsters."

(bleep) that WAS my fault. Like Heartless, Dream Eaters followed the Keyblade wherever it went. I can't believe that old man made the association.

"Okay then, what'chya want me to do so you can let Esmeralda go?"

"Turn yourself in. Face justice for your crimes Simple enough."

I thought it over, I COULD escape these guards rather easily... "Okay then, you got it." I dismissed my blade "You let her go, I'll turn myself in." I then added "That's why you were after her, you noticed we were friends and knew I'd want to save her."

"Indeed."

He let her go, and I stopped her with a hug while quickly whispering "Get outta town, quickly, don't let him catch you again."

"Of course, thank you."

She ran off, and I felt my hands being cuffed. No way this could go wrong.

...

So yeah, here I am, being lead to the stake. No problem, these guys are runts compared to the things I've faced. Wait for it... wait...

In a blink I elbowed one in a chink in their armor, pushing him aside and bolting. I quickly unlocked myself, whooping in delight: Esmeralda was safe, I was safe-

"You weren't going to go against your deal, were you?"

I stopped, and found Esmeralda in Frollo's grasp again. She gave an apologetic smile. Seriously? "I'm sorry! They had guards everywhere!" Frollo grinned wickedly "You didn't think I wasn't going to have insurance, were you?"

I sighed "Okay, you win." To further display my compliance, I strode right on up and leaned against the pole "Okay, tie me up, let her go."

They did as I said, also adding kindling. Esmeralda stayed out of respect for me dying, I guess. Comforting thought, but I ain't getting killed that easily. When no one noticed, I cast a blizzard spell at my feet, the melting ice slowly dampening the wood. Sorry, no fires tonight.

They tried lighting it once.

Twice.

I was almost laughing as they tried a third time. "What? Am I innocent? Are WE innocent?" I couldn't suppress my best "Sorry you lose" grin.

Frollo glowered at me "More of your witchcraft!"

"Maybe someone's innocent!" I barked back at him. He only yelled for them to bring more torches. That bigoted, stubborn, crotchety, evil, horrid old man! I felt my anger flush up-

I was tied up? Why was I tied up? I sliced open the stupid ropes around me and grabbed this older prey in front of me. Hmmm. Old. Nasty heart, I can smell that clear enough. I had cut him open a little bit, not enough to kill or seriously injure. He deserved it, trying to kill me! I felt a light wash over me, my voice yelling "I won't submit to the darkness!"-

I blinked, seeing Frollo bleeding and injured in front of me. My hand was through five holes in his clothes.

Anti.

I hit Anti form.

I felt my blood quickly freezing. I thought I had taken care of that-

"Please! Please I'm sorry! Let me go!"

I was stunned by Frollo's blubbering, but I quickly composed myself "Leave this city alone, and leave my sight. That'll work." I tossed him callously away, but that didn't mean I didn't pity him. I looked for Esmeralda, but I only caught a fleeting glimpse as she ran off, clearly terrified.

A demon, right inside of me, that had scared her.

That hurt a lot more than the injuries I'd been receiving.

A lot.

I walked back through the town in a daze. What was wrong with me? Why did Anti form get out of hand so easily? Was it a trigger from stress? I don't think I've been using drives...

"Leaving so soon?"

I stopped dead in my tracks. Why was that my voice? WHY WAS THAT _MY_ VOICE?! I turned slowly to see that same phantom: ME. I was grinning psychotically "You're so scared of yourself."

I shook my head "You aren't there."

"But I AM. Isn't it your Realm of Sleep? Everyone perceives it differently, right?" me replied. He held a hand to his chin, tilting his head and causing his raven bangs to swing around "I am as real as you think I am."

"SHUT UP!" I threw my Keyblade at him and he vanished. He terrified me more than anything I'd ever seen before. Shaken, I quickly returned to Traverse Town.

...

I was leaning on one of the many fountains of Traverse Town next to Rhyme. "Okay, what do you need to talk about?"

"Well, there's this part of me that's really... evil..." I began, not sure how to say it without confusing her "and, it kinda got out recently-"

"But I'm assuming it's been awhile?" She said helpfully. I nodded awkwardly "I can't believe it got out after so long."

"But you generally keep it in, right?"

"Yeah, your point?" I said bitterly.

She smiled "I know you, you won't let it happen again."

I blinked. Then I grinned "It won't. You're right."

* * *

So there is how chapters will go- Nightmare, New world, TT again with friendship bonding and blah. Sorry about the long update wait!


	3. Sora Report 3

"I know you're hiding here somewhere..."

I shuddered as my own voice- although a little too deep to really be mine -crooned with a promise of bloodshed. I knew that tone too well for a teenager. Why was I cowering in fear when it was just... me I was afraid of?

Easy, he scared me beyond death. The black hair, the golden eyes, the pale skin; a twisted mirror of myself lost in the darkness that made my stomach twist and want to leap out of me.

"You can't hide forever! It's our destiny to make the X-Blade!" I shook my head, covering my ears even when I knew how precious they were at the moment.

X-Blade.

Yen Sid had mentioned Xehanort was after it. Every time it was said, my heart skipped a beat and constricted. I didn't even know what this thing was and even the thought of it scared me to death. Heck, I DIDN'T want to know about it.

"Ventus, you can't hide behind him forever!" He was getting closer, but that didn't reach me quite as well.

Ventus. VENtus. They- pretty sure he -were/was mentioned in that horrible dream... Presuming Ven was a nickname. I was suddenly halting and shuddering, my processes becoming jerky and rusted. A quick shake of my head and a deep breath cleared my thoughts up again. So this other me knew who Ven was.

I rolled my eyes and scolded myself at leaping to conclusions. That's what got me in trouble last time-

"There you are!"

I whirled around in panic just as his Keyblade clanged against mine. "Come on, Ven, are you really going to hide behind such a weakling?" He sighed- my blood froze at how delighted he seemed to be in the fact he was fighting me instead of whoever Ven was -as he forced me lower and lower. Well, that confirms one thing. Ven=Ventus.

I pushed him off and ran for it.

"Can't run forever, Ven! You tried that last time!"

I stumbled, catching his blade in my back. "I'm not Ven!" I yelled back, panicked, scared "Leave me alone!" I quickly began running again. Hiding place, hiding place, come on, sanctuary! please- THERE!

I ducked into a new hiding spot, carefully trying to keep my back from getting worse. I rubbed my tears away before they even began, huffing at how quickly I was breaking down. Come on, Sora! you're better than this! Then again I wouldn't be running if I was.

There was that hum that made my spine shiver "You're only delaying the inevitable."

I enjoyed delaying a lot more than letting it happen. I rubbed my hands up and down my legs, counting my breathing and keeping it slow as possible. I mustn't panic, can't panic-

"Shh... everything is gonna be okay."

I jolted upon hearing Roxas, and nearly cried out in surprise if it weren't for his hand covering my mouth. Without even glancing behind me, I sagged with relief that I wasn't alone, then nodded in thanks. He removed his hand "Hey now, don't get so high strung..."

Something was a little different. He was vaguely happier, the sadness was still there, but there seemed to be less of it, what was left being there for a different reason. Then there was a lilt of naivety and youth Roxas didn't have. But Roxas was Roxas, right? Maybe he'd gone through a few more changes since I last saw him in my dreams.

I turned around "Thank you-" I stopped. I watched... Roxas, stand up and peer cautiously around the corner. Armor? When did Roxas wear armor? But that was his face, his hair, his voice, his eyes... But were they a little older? Those clothes were weird too...

He smiled down at me "Hey, things'll be alright."

I stammered out gibberish until I whispered "But you... your clothes..."

"What about them?" he asked simply, checking again for my rampaging evil clone. He cursed under his breath "I can't believe he's pulling you into this...!"

"Roxas, you know who this is?"

Roxas paused. He suddenly looked very, very sad, but it was just a flicker. He knelt down, and carefully grabbed my hands "Sora, you remember who I am, right?"

"Not really..." I shrugged.

That sadness flickered again with an even stronger connotation. Something REALLY bad had happened to him, I was sure of it. I tilted my head "Are you okay?"

He shook his head and smiled- that same smile I used to mask my own uncertain feelings "I'm fine." He looked around for other me again "Okay, since I know you're wondering: his name is Vanitas, and he isn't you."

I laughed weakly "Um... he looks like me-"

"I don't know how that happened, but he is NOT you. You have no reason to be scared of your darkness anyways." He brushed aside some of my hair soothingly "If anyone's getting hurt by him, it's gonna be me and it's gonna stop with me."

"Why you?" I asked as he stood and summoned a Keyblade I had never seen before. Huh, backhanded. Definitely nothing like Roxas's inexperienced way of holding it. It was almost like this newer Roxas had been formally taught.

There was that pain in his voice again, and I was starting to get curious and worried "Because he's my problem." He sounded even and calm enough, but there was a edge of regret.

Right at that moment my eviler twin- this Vanitas guy -found us.

I woke up. No scream, not even a gasp. The names I'd learned faded away. I stared vacantly at the ceiling, feeling an odd limbo of dreams and waking. "Ven" rang around in my head, like some annoying fly that wouldn't leave me alone. "Ven", I had been called that name endearingly by two strangers. Didn't they visit the Islands so long ago?(I couldn't remember that well) and why was "Ven" so darn familiar?

Say, you know that pain you get when your leg cramps up in the middle of the night? Multiply that by a thousand and place it in your heart. As you can expect I started curling in on myself as I made that only sounds I really could. Gasps and groans of absolute agony escaped my mouth as I gritted my teeth to try and quell the pain as I had been taught by the harsh mistress of experience. I could feel my eyes starting to roll back.

Something was wrong- VERY wrong -with my heart.

I quickly went into the survival mode that was almost second nature now, and banged against the wall "Shi... SHIKI!" I yelled "Some... ONE!"

Wandanyan was scrambling around in an absolute panic, but I quickly gasped out "Find... others... help..."

It rushed off, leaving me to clutch my heart as it began tearing me apart from the inside.

I think I passed out just as Shiki ran in in her nightdress with her phone in her hand "Um, yeah, 911?! My friend...!"

...

I woke up in a hospital bed a while later. As far as I could tell, I made it. Whatever happened, it wasn't fatal...

"Hey, you're okay."

Neku popped into my view, and I smiled "Yep."

"Man, don't scare us like that!" I heard Beat sigh. I sat up, wincing lightly and seeing a dozen hands spring up to say "Take it easy!" I shrugged "Come on, I can't be in that bad a shape." Neku looked at the clipboard at the base of my bed and read it aloud "'Inexplicable severe cardiac arrest', yeah that sounds like you're just fine."

I shrugged again "I'm a little tired, but I feel just fine..."

Shiki shook her head, hugged Mr. Mew tighter, and looked away from me "You know, you jerking around like you were having some kind of seizure isn't fine by my standard." She seemed really flustered, worried, maybe even jilted about how I had specifically called for her to help me. "You know, you nearly gave ME a heart attack, Sora!"

"I'm sorry... didn't mean for that."

"Well, you're fine, that's what matters." Rhyme said, as helpful as ever. She then asked "Say, did it have anything to do with what you asked me about yesterday?" I shook my head

A doctor came in and asked me a question or two- and then maybe a dozen more -and later I was walking out with my friends with a clean bill of health. Whatever had happened was attributed to way too much stress. I was also walking out with a pamphlet or two over stress relief and yoga class coupons... Um, let's see... that was the thing were you wore tight clothing and did fancy stretches, right...?

I huffed a little at the thought. No way I was getting hooked into the "too much stress" lie. I knew how to manage stress... at least I think I do. But what had happened, THAT wasn't because of stress.

As much as I hated to say it, that was because of an intruder in my heart.

...

The dusky, eerily quiet streets of this new world seemed a little too lonely. It was a lot of restaurants and novelty stores by the looks of it, since that translation spell I normally used was acting a little slow. But hey, completely new area, it would be weird if it wasn't-

... Did that sign say 'human eyeball'...?

I shuddered a little, and continued moving on. Translations are sometimes slow and aren't always accurate. Huh, sun's going down, maybe I'd need to leave soon.

I absently rubbed the back of my neck, feeling IMMENSELY unwelcome. Wandanyan even refused to come with me. I then noted a young girl- maybe ten or so -leaning through a bridge to get a look at something "Hey, who are you?"

She jumped, bumping her head. While she sorely rubbed it, she introduced herself "I-I'm Chihiro." I shook her hand "I'm-"

"You're not supposed to be here! GET OUT! NOW! Before it gets dark!" A boy about the same age Chihiro approached us, his hair dark with a tint of green. I pushed Chihiro behind me, feeling uneasy "Why-"

He shoved us both away "Just go! You're in danger here! Get going, I'll distract them!"

I suddenly understood- we DEFINITELY weren't welcome here like my gut had said -nodded, and scooped up Chihiro "Come on! We gotta get out!"

As lanterns started lighting, vague, shadowy shapes started forming. "What's going on?! What's wrong with you guys?!" Chihiro squealed in my arms. I quickly dropped her, one hand grabbing her wrist to guide her and the other with Keyblade bared for Dream Eaters or any other monster "I don't know, but it's not good!"

She suddenly tugged me another direction "Wait! My parents!" Knowing I'd regret this, I followed her anyways. She quickly did a U-turn out of an alleyway later, screaming. I don't know what was so bad about a few pigs, but I ignored the sight and went back to chasing her down. I found her crying by a river bank- it was hard to find her in the darkness, though. I knelt next to her "Hey, you okay-"

My hand passed right through her.

She scrambled away from me, then looked at her invisible hands and squealed again. "I'm see-through!"

I held up my hands in a calming gesture "Hey, calm down-"

"How come you aren't vanishing?!" she pointed a finger accusingly at me. I was about to answer when we both paused to see a very colorful cast of... things getting off of a boat. When I looked back, Chihiro was running up the hill.

I ran after "Hey! I'm trying to help you!"

"Get away from me!" she shouted back.

I did find her- again -continuing to sob and trying to tell herself this was all a dream. I sighed and leaned against the wall, knowing it'd take a lot for me to secure her trust. As I stared at the sky, I thought about probably the worst thing to think of: a similar night when I was younger.

That first night in Traverse Town was confusing, hectic, and pretty much the worst day of my life easily.

I sighed, dragging my thoughts to my friends. We were probably staring at the same sky in every world. My friends were definitely out there, appreciating it whether it was blissful blue, pearly gray, or the darkest obsidian. Yeah, I'd be fine. Just fine.

"Thank you for getting her out of there."

I jumped at the sound of the boy's voice again. He was in front of me, and- now that I had a better look -he was eerily mature. Maybe I shouldn't trust him... He gave a small head nod "I really do appreciate it."

He then knelt next to Chihiro, holding out a berry "Come on now, you gotta eat something or you'll disappear completely."

Chihiro squirmed and protested, but eventually she ate the berry, and her solidity started coming back. The boy smiled and held her hands "See? All better." I was getting conflicting signals from this boy: trust, or don't trust? He was nice to her, yes, but there was something I didn't like about him-

He suddenly covered her. "Stay hidden." he whispered sharply. I continued acting natural, but I noticed a bird- I squinted, surprised by what I saw. That wasn't any ordinary bird... I continued squinting after it even as the shape blurred into the dusky sky, ignoring Chihiro and the boy for a second.

The boy got up "Come on, it's looking for you, we need to get moving."

He waved me with him "You too, Sora." How did he know my name?!

I couldn't answer that, because soon we were racing along the streets and back alleys faster than any normal person could.

...

We reached that same bridge from earlier, the boy stopping me and Chihiro "Hold you breath as we cross the bridge." We both gulped in air, then held it in as we began walking. The boy explained quietly "I need to get you in without anyone noticing, but you just need to hold on across the bridge-"

A frog leaped up at us "Master Haku! You're back!"

I was bursting, but it was Chihiro who ended up gasping. The frog's eyes widened "A human?! Wha-"

The boy- apparently Haku -quickly disabled the frog and hurried us into a closed off garden with that same blinding speed. While we paused in our little hiding place, I heard people rushing about- going on about "Humans in the bathhouse". Haku was gently talking to Chihiro, but I had my Keyblade back out and was inspecting the area. I wasn't letting anyone get hurt.

"Go to the boiler room, ask the boiler man, Komaji for a job. It'll be tough work, but you'll be able to help your parents. Don't worry, Sora will make sure you're safe."

I blinked at haku's voice in my head. Voices were never a good thing. I then was about to go after Chihiro again- after all, SOMEONE had to keep that little girl safe and Haku had so graciously shoved the responsibility fully on to me -when Haku stopped me. "Sora, I want you to keep her safe no matter what, do you understand?"

"I was planning to anyways-"

"And let people see that." he pointed to my blade "Tell them you're taking her under your protection, and things should be easier."

He then went inside, leaving me alone "Yes, yes, I'm coming..."

Oh yeah, I had Chihiro to look after! I tucked my Keyblade into my belt and rushed to find her again. She was carefully making her way down some stairs on all fours. I couldn't help but laugh at the sight, then reached for her "Hey, you want some help?"

Chihiro nodded uncertainly, and I scooped her up in my arms again. She was pretty light for a kid, so I had no problem with carrying her "Hey, wanna ride piggyback?" she smiled a little and nodded "Okay."

After shifting her onto my back, I started my way down the steps "See? No prob-" a step broke, sending me on a uncontrollable course down the stairs screaming "LEEEEMMMMMMMMMM!" The frightening run was cut short by me smacking into the wall. Instantly I felt a small bit of blood coming from my nose, which rang with fresh pain. Hopefully it wasn't broken.

I set Chihiro down carefully, and then began working on healing my nose up. "Oh! You're bleeding!" she said, trying to reach for my injury to help in some way. I waved her off, smiling reassuringly "Nah, I'm fine." one quick burst of magic later and my nose was fixed up, good as new. Still a little sore, but hey, whatcha gonna do?

We jumped down some more steps, pausing at a door. I looked back up the stairs "You sure we're supposed to come here?"

"Well, Haku said we were supposed to." Chihiro shrugged. I sighed and ran a hand down my face "Okay, but I don't like this place... Stay behind me."

Blasts of steam greeted us, but it was relatively peaceful. The door at the end was open, glowing red from some source of fire, no doubt. Chihiro scooted behind me. She was obviously frightened. I chuckled "Hey, things are okay, Haku said they were gonna be." We stepped forward to continue on and meet this "Komaji" guy, but both jolted at a sudden burst of steam. I laughed again, okay, come on, let's just meet this guy already."

Chihiro nodded a little uncertainly. I peeked through a crack in the door, and blinked. I stuck out my head without thinking to inspect the little... Holy cow it was soot balls moving across the floor!

"Oy! Don't you know it's rude to gawk like that?"

I jumped upon hearing the crotchety old man grinding up herbs off on a platform in the corner. At least I think he was a human... maybe not with those extra arms. I cleared my head up and quickly said "Me and a friend of mine are looking for a job here."

The man sighed and resumed "I got all the work I need here."

Chihiro jumped out in front of me "Please mister we need a job! Can't you give us something?"

He looked at us again, then shook his head "I already said I got enough workers here-"

"Aw come on," I cut him off "Can't there be other jobs? This place is really big, ya know."

"Well, you'll need to go elsewhere-" my Keyblade appeared. I didn't mean to threaten anyone, but boy was I getting mad at this old stick in the mud. He paused, staring at it. His hand stretched over "My my, is that a Keyblade?" I clutched it a little tighter as it curiously hovered around it until the hand retracted "It's been a long, long time since I've seen one of those."

I stared at him back. I knew that there were others before me thanks to Xigbar's taunting, but... I never really knew much about them "How do you know about the Keyblade?"

Komaji laughed "Ah, well, when you're a refuge for things that don't exist normally, you see some very interesting customers... Ah, who was the last one to visit..." He began muttering over potential names ("Eragon, Equran, Esquar...") while resuming his work when a small door slid open, a young woman stepping out "Dinner!"

Komaji then stopped and yelled at his little army of soot balls to stop working for a dinner break, and the woman walked over "Komaji, where's your bowl from yesterday?" he handed it to her and she sighed "It's not that hard to leave it out for me to pick up." She then proceeded to hand the soot balls some colorful looking star things-

She froze at the sight of me a Chihiro, then stood and pointed an accusing finger "So YOU'RE the humans everyone is talking about! Oh you guys are in big trouble-"

"They're my grandkids."

We all stopped and stared at Komaji, his mouth full of food as he began elaborating "They're looking for work here, but I'm all full. Say, Lin, could you take them to see Yubaba?"

The woman- Lin -looked very unamused "You expect me to risk my neck for-"

Komaji held out what looked like some kind of fried lizard "How about for this roasted newt?"

Lin eyed it for a moment, then snatched it and dumped out the rest of the soot balls' meal "Okay you two, you're coming with me." She glanced at my Keyblade, and her eyes widened briefly. She then looked at Komaji "I didn't know one of your 'grandkids' was one of those guys."

I dismissed my Keyblade, seeing no more need for it "What, you got a problem with keys?"

Lin rolled her eyes and waved us over "Just get a move on you two," she noticed my shoes and added "Take of those things, ya won't need 'em." Me and Chihiro left our shoes behind and the soot balls picked 'em up. Chihiro's fit into the little holes just fine but mine had to stay off elsewhere.

"Say, either of you gonna thank him for this? He's really sticking his neck out for you."

I bowed "Thank you, Komaji."

Chihiro did the same but ended up bumping her head on a low ceiling.

...

So, after climbing several stories of bathhouse- with all sorts of weird and wacky spirits and sights (even for me) along the way -we were finally at the top. The hall was silent- WAY too silent -and quite ornate. Chihiro clinged to me "Sora, this place doesn't feel right."

"Yeah, it doesn't, but we gotta be positive, okay?" I smiled and put my fist in my other hand "We'll get a job here, we'll be safe, and then we can get your parents back."

I then was about to open the door when the door knob spoke in a reedy old lady's voice "You are one of the silliest pairs of humans I've ever seen. The girl is rude and whiny and you're nothing but a stick!"

"HEY!" I yelled at it "I got some muscle!"

The door swung open "Oh well, come in anyways."

We sat there. Chihiro was anxious and I was too steamed about that rude little knob to-

"I said come in."

"WAH!" We were both yanked along by some invisible force, being literally dragged along to Yubaba's office. We tumbled onto the plush carpet in front of a marble fire place- I should know because I knocked my head on it pretty hard. I looked up to see a rather old woman with a pretty big head and a little on the ugly side counting up gold pieces.

Chihiro scrambled up "Miss we want a jo-" her mouth snapped shut as the old woman- apparently Yubaba herself -made a zipping motion "I don't want to hear it."

"Hey that was kinda-" my mouth was zipped up as well, so it was just me and Chihiro wiping at our mouths in a hopeless attempt to talk. Yubaba continued on "Both of you shouldn't have gotten this far, but I do commend you for making it here." she smiled, sickeningly sweet, and unzipped our mouths "So who helped you? You can tell me."

Chihiro blurted out "Please we just want a job-"

"Don't say that!" Yubaba snapped.

I joined in, finally standing up "All we want is some work-"

"DON'T SAY THAT!" Yubaba rocketed right over to Chihiro and I, making a huge mess of her desk in her sudden fury "I have plenty of lazy bum workers for this bathhouse and I don't need either of you spoiled brats-"

I summoned my Keyblade, this time with an intention to intimidate "Hey, back off." she stared at my Keyblade as I continued "It can't be that hard to give us a job here. It's big, two more kids could make things run a little smoother."

She then smiled, and grabbed my shoulders and said "Okay, I'll let YOU work, maybe even an apprenticeship-"

"Both of us or neither, lady." I said sternly.

"Well," I stiffened a little as her fingers wrapped around my neck "Maybe I could give you a job, one that will make you life absolutely miserable, one that will put you two on a road you wished lead to death-"

"Fine, we'll take it!" I blurted out.

Suddenly there was the sound of a baby wailing.

Yubaba backed away from me and hitched up her skirts "Oh look, you've woken the baby." She peeked her head through a curtain "Hello, dearie, mama's here-"

I smirked at how I found a leverage, and hollered "MISS WE WANT A JOB!"

The baby's cries escalated, and she glared at me "Pipe down or he'll only get more temperamental!" she resumed cooing at and soothing the wailing child, and eventually a large, babyish fist shot out.

"I WON'T UNTIL WE BOTH HAVE A JOB!" I yelled again.

Yubaba glared at me, received a nasty kick from the massive child behind the curtains, then sighed "Fine, fine! Just pipe down!"

After finally calming the baby down she walked over to her desk and began cleaning up with her magic while whining "Why did I have to agree to give anyone who asks a job? Ugh, I'm far too nice."

Some contracts floated over to us "Here, sign away your names and I'll give you each a job."

Chihiro began scribbling away, and so did I, but I finished first. "Sora" was a really easy name to write. Yubaba snatched up my contract, looked at me. Her eyes narrowed "This isn't all of it." she eyed Chihiro's "Ah, Chihiro, so pretty." she sucked up the characters "I think you'll be Sen now. Agreed, Sen?" Ch- (no, she was Sen, wasn't she?) didn't respond. "Well, Sen?" Yubaba asked again.

Sen piped up "Y-yes ma'am!"

"Now for the rest, Sora dear."

The contract floated in front of me, begging to be signed some more. I stared at it, my pen hand limp in confusion "But I- ah!" My hand began signing away more names: Roxas, Ventus, Vanitas, Xion. I recognized only one of those names and that was Roxas. The rest had a lingering sentiment, like some kind of residue from a dream.

Yubaba nodded in approval with a chuckle "My my, I haven't seen a single person with such a large name. Hmmmm... almost as if you're many in one, Sora." she sucked up the characters like she did with Chihiro, and everything went out of focus.

Who was I?

What... what am I doing here again?

It's weird... I feel like I'm forgetting something really important-

"Answer me, Aimai."

Aimai, yes, that's who I was "Yes ma'am."

Yubaba nodded "Oh, Haku, there you are. I was just about to call for you. These two are Aimai and Sen, they're new workers here."

Haku, at least he was familiar. He left. waving us along "Come with me."

...

So there we were. We ended up becoming Lin's helpers with cleaning services, but it was better than anything people would do to us here if we screwed up. Haku had flat out stated that if we didn't meet standards they could do anything they wanted with us. Eurgh, it apparently included making me and Sen a tasty treat. But really what I hated most about it was how they'd never had a guy doing cleaning work so I was stuck wearing a pink uniform that was tailored for a girl.

NO.

_NO._

**_NO._**

**_AND NO._**

So soon I was slipping into sleep (or at least trying to), worn out and ready for bed. I think I was used to staying up all night sometimes, so it wasn't that hard to get settled in, but I couldn't sleep because my mind was in an absolute panic over my faulty memory... and something else I couldn't put my finger on. I remembered a few things- mostly about "Keyblades" and some blurred out faces that set my heart soaring with worry and delight -but some of it seemed too weird-

"Meet me outside the bathhouse with Sen."

I froze upon hearing Haku, then sat up after he left.

Oh, did I mention that since everyone else in our little cleaning crew was girls I slept outside? Yeah... But I didn't mind. There was real nice weather and they had to sleep on the floor too, just behind walls rather than out in the open. And not to mention something seemed... natural about it. I done it before... somewhere. Just, sleeping under the stars in a sleeping bag.

I stretched a little then ran off. I went back the way I came in last night- through Komaji's boiler room. It was weird seeing my shoes were still there, but I put 'em on anyways. I couldn't change out of my outfit, since what I was wearing last night was probably thrown away...

I frowned a little, wondering why I was so sad at losing the baggy pants and short sleeved jacket and tank top. The thought of that crown necklace (ugh, so tacky) being thrown away too caused me to feel even worse. I found Sen outside the bathhouse, and we both waited a bit for Haku. Sen looked up at me "Hey, Aimai, do you have a fuzzy memory? Like, you can't remember anything beyond last night well?"

I nodded and leaned against the railing of the bridge "Yeah."

Haku then met up with us and lead us along to... well, somewhere. He took Sen aside to show her something, but I sat down in front of the garden and went over the things I knew:

_I'm Aimai, I'm 15... or 16 I can't tell, I work here, I'm helping Sen-_

She plopped down a small way away from me, crying. I debated walking over to help her, but wandered off into the pigpen and watched the lazy things. It wasn't my problem-

"Aimai, catch."

I caught what Haku tossed at me- a silver crown necklace. The one from last night. I tilted my head at it, frowning in distaste "Why would I want this again? It's so cliched..." I then trailed off and turned it over because it felt like something was carved on the back- My heart sized up and skipped a beat. Indeed, there WAS something written on it:

"For our favorite little sky, Sora. Happy 13th birthday!"

Sora.

**_I WAS SORA._**

Everything snapped back into place: Riku, Kairi, the islands, the Keyblade, everything. I fell to my knees "I-I..." With my free hand I covered my mouth- which was kinda bad since I was borderline hyperventilating. I almost forgot about them. ALL of them. Everything. I almost... I almost lost it all...! My clothes- Oh was I SO glad to see them again! -thumped in front of me "Hide these, keep them safe."

I grabbed them and hugged them along with the necklace, still shaken "I almost forgot everything-"

"Don't worry, you won't lose it again."

I rocked back and forth a little "Thank you..." after a pause I added "I don't want to think about what would've happened if I... i-if I-"

"Sora, it's fine." Haku said a little more sternly. He then held out his hand to help me up "Now, about your name, don't let anyone know about it, keep calling yourself Aimai and keep answering to it."

"And Sen?" I asked, having a blur around what she used to be before Yubaba swiped it up, but I definitely knew it wasn't Sen.

"Keep calling her that for now."

I sighed a little, nodding my head "Okay... Okay."

"Don't lose your name again, or she'll have you forever, Sora." Haku said softly "Believe me, I've tried everything to remember mine."

We had a small picnic of rice cakes, then me and Sen went back to our quarters. We spotted an odd-looking dragon before we went back inside that we theorized to be Haku, but it was too far off to tell and he WAS a spirit and all who could disappear at whim probably. We tried to get back to sleep.

But I stayed awake in dead horror of getting a nightmare here when so much could be at stake.

...

I was pretty half asleep and me and Sen resumed doing our jobs. Heck I was falling behind a ten-year-old girl I was so tired. I had stayed awake all night twice in a row and didn't sleep at all during the day so I was nowhere near a fully charged battery.

Lin called us over for a quick break. I stretched and yawned a little, and shuffled on over. Lin frowned at me "Hey did you get some sleep Aimai? You weren't nearly this bad yesterday." She turned to Sen with a smile "You on the other hand, are doing much better Sen!"

"mmmfrrt..." I mumbled back even though the conversation had moved on, yawning and rubbing my eyes.

Me and Sen grabbed our dirty water and went over to one of the gardens to dump it out. I dumped mine out and headed back, but I paused. Sen apparently saw something in the rain "Sen? Ev'rythin' ok...?"

She then picked up her bucket and bowed "I-I'll leave the door open for you, sir."

I watched her cautiously, then looked over to see our new presumed guest. "You sure 'bout that...?" I mumbled. This spirit looked like a shadow with a mask. No face at all. It creeped me out.

Shortly after me and Sen returned to Lin, a frog-person walked over to the three of us "Aimai, Sen, Lin, you guys got the big tub."

"Frog thing say wha...?" tumbled out of my mouth in slurred speech. Lin seemed displeased "Oh come on, that's frog work and you know it!"

The frog-thing walked off "Hey, orders from the top."

Lin sighed and grabbed her things "Okay fine! Ugh, you two come on we got work to do."

The big tub was just what it said. The three of us fit very comfortably with plenty of room and really the only downside was the job. The thing was practically coated in caked on sludge. The smell woke me up quite a bit too.

"We only use this for our filthiest guests." Lin grunted as she scrubbed as hard as she could "It'll take days to clean this-"

"Lin! You got customers coming!" Someone yelled.

"What?!" Lin stood while Me and Sen scrubbed harder. She then threw her scrubber down "This is clearly harassment!" She then waved Sen over "Okay, come on I know a way we can get out of this." She then pushed Sen over the edge so she could get down "Go get an herbal soak token from the foreman. Aimai, as much as I'd appreciate your help here at the fort I'd like you to accompany her and make sure she doesn't get lost."

I climbed up over the edge, nodding "Okay."

Of course, Sen was only a few feet away, thinking. "What's up, Sen?" I asked.

After explaining her plight- and realizing I had the same problem -I peeked over the edge of the tub

"Hey Lin, what's a foreman?"

...

Okay, so after some directions and explaining, me and Sen were now trying to worm out a token from the foreman.

"I said I'm not gonna give you a token! Those are for the guests!"

"And we have a tub to clean in a very short time!" I snapped back at him.

"And I say that you're-" he gave a token to a passing by spirit "Enjoy your bath!" he then resumed "Outta luck kiddos!"

"Come on you can't possibly expect us to clean something that big in less than a day!" I continued my argument, trying hard not to lose my temper. I then noticed Sen staring off to the side, and I followed her gaze while the foreman answered a phone call.

Well whaddaya know there was our little guest from earlier. I decided to call it No Face- it suited him. He grabbed a token and it started hovering over to us.

"I said get lost- Huh?!"

Sen grabbed the token and bowed "Thank you, sir!" and we ran off. I waved back, though, to be polite even if the guy was such a pain in the butt "Thanks!"

...

Lin examined the token curiously "Wow, you two got a real good one." she then opened up a hidden compartment and hooked it on some string "We send it over to Komaji," it vanished, and a little while later a wooden-pipe-device-thing popped up "and he sends us our water."

We all climbed up to the edge, and Lin handed Sen the rope on the end "Here, give it a tug."

So soon the tub was filling up with water and me and Lin went to go get some breakfast. Or dinner. Honestly I'm confused on that note so I won't think about it too hard.

While we waited for some food, I paused. I sniffed the air a bit: that wasn't food... at least, not EDIBLE food... I knew the scent of something rotten from one too many points when the Gummi Ship didn't refrigerate anything properly.

"Aimai, what's wrong? You that hungry already?" Lin asked me. I shook my head "No, it's not that. Take a whiff of the air."

Lin inhaled deeply, then shrugged "Maybe you're just thinking it. I don't smell anything besides grub."

I ran off "Hey, I'll get my food later, I'll go check on Sen."

The smell grew stronger and stronger the closer I got to the baths "H-hey! Sen! You here?" She'd run off somewhere, great. I began running to the front, trying not to choke as the scent got more pungent. Maybe she'd be there-

I lurched to a halt, smelling something that was definitely worse than Riku after gym class, spoiled food, and anything else COMBINED. My hands shot up to my nose, my eyes wide and watering. Kingdom Hearts this REEKED. I don't think I've ever wanted to vomit just from smell alone more.

I felt something slimy near my foot, and I glanced down to see the mucky source of the smell. I hopped away, utterly disgusted. Who on earth let someone like this in?!

"Oh! H-hello Aimai!"

I glanced up to see Sen forcefully grinning, and maybe a little green herself "Say, you wanna help me with our guest?"

Okay, if she could stand it without plugging her nose, I could too. I removed my hands and nodded, walking over to join her "Sure...!"

While we guided this sludge pile over to our tub, I asked "You stopped the water, right?"

"Yeah."

We stepped aside to let the spirit hop up in the tub and get all cleaned up. Sooner it's gone the better. Well, it didn't go as we hoped, instead the water turning into more of the slime and muck and covering Sen up to her waist and me to my knees. A basket of tokens floated by, and Sen grabbed it.

"Uh, where'd you get those?" I asked.

"The shadowy guy gave them to me." she replied. The dirty little muck producer groaned. Probably a signal for more water.

"One minute, sir!" Sen called over. I shook my head as I followed, admiring how polite she could be. Even my amiability was strained here.

She took her basket of tokens and started wading over to where the compartment for water was. I grabbed her out of the muck and helped her get over faster, then we both squished together to try and get a token to latch on.

In a few moments, the water was ready and Sen had already scrambled up to the bath. "HEy, be careful, okay?" I yelled, making my way over. Sen tugged it "Okay- AHH!"

She ended up falling in.

"SEN!"

She was lifted out by the spirit when I was scrambling up the tub, her head being gently placed under the running water. "Sen!" I yelled again. She woke up, spitting out water. She then lifted her hand along the spirit, then paused. She began tugging at something-

"SEN!" Lin had a cloth over her face and some cleaning supplies "Don't worry! I won't let him hurt you!"

"I think he needs help!" Sen replied.

"Help?" I asked as Lin headed over to Sen. Sen nodded "It feels like he's got a thorn in his side!"

"I thought this wasn't an ordinary stink spirit!"

I turned to see that Yubaba had jumped into the situation. "Wait, you were watching us?!" I asked.

Yubaba had an amused smile "Well yes, I'm your boss, that's what I do." She conjured a rope and handed it to me "Get this around that thorn and get pulling!"

I handed the rope to Lin and Sen, and they tied it around and handed more of the rope to me. Yubaba had roused up more of the work force and I passed more of the rope to them. Yubaba produced some fans "Now, on my command! Ready... AND HEAVE!"

Soon everyone was pulling with all their might to get this little thorn-

A bike popped out, to my surprise. Then more garbage, and more. "Geez, what's in there?!" I sighed as I tugged.

Sen then must've finished it up because everyone was buried in a pile of trash, sludge, and water. I shoved aside some stuff and wiped up the grime on my face "SEN! Hey! Sen, you alright?!"

She was caught in a watery bubble, but it melted away and left her wet and shivering. I climbed up "Hey, you okay, Sen?" She jumped a little, then nodded. She then noticed in her hands was what looked like a little ball of some kind of...? I dunno, maybe it was medicine, since it smelled kinda like it. Bitter and quite pungent, really, but maybe a taste test was in store-

"Sen, Aimai, you're in the way of our guest." I looked up to see the water bubbling, and I scooted to the side along with Sen. A lithe, watery, dragon-esque creature rocketed past, causing my hair to stick up at even more weird angles, and soared out of the bathhouse and away into the sky.

While I was still staring (and trying to figure out how to get my hair back to its definition of normal) I was tackled by Yubaba "Aimai! Sen! You both made us so much money! That was a powerful and rich river spirit!"

Me and Sen smiled at each other as Yubaba announced a celebration for our work.

...

Me and Sen were leaning against the railing, gazing at the moonlit sea that the rain made.

"It looks like a real ocean, doesn't it, Aimai?" Sen asked me. I laughed, dangling my feet over the edge as memories of home popped up- I was relieved that they did "Yeah, it does... looks just like where I grew up."

Lin plopped down next to us "I swiped you two some dumplings, eat up!"

We chowed down. MMMMM, food. It's been awhile since I had a good meal like this. I then remembered something. A question that nagged me a little since meeting Lin.

"Hey, Lin," I asked without even bothering to get the food outta my mouth first "When you saw my Keyblade, you called me 'one of those guys'... whaddaya mean?"

"Oh we had a set of customers like you a long, long time ago." She sighed "Two guys named..." she paused a bit "I think it was... Masters Eraqus and Xehanort."

I froze at the names as she went on "They said they had recently become masters and were celebrating by touring everywhere they could go." I was staring at nothing in particular in shock. Lin had met Xehanort. THAT Xehanort. "You know, now that I think of it they weren't very chummy a couple times... I think I heard a bit of drunken yelling over some stupid business about a war."

Honestly what was even stranger was that Eraqus... Eraqus was a familiar and comforting name. And then there was that war deal...

"The Keyblade War..." I whispered.

"Yeah, I think that was it." Lin took another bite, callous to the significance of that term.

I resumed eating with a more hesitant and somber pace. Yen Sid had mentioned that The Keyblade War was a terrible thing that killed lots of people and caused a practical apocalypse. I didn't like thinking about it.

I didn't like the concept of war on that large a scale anyways. A handful of people on either side? Unpleasant, but okay. Hundreds? Thousands? Millions? Regardless of personal input? No. I felt sick even thinking of more people than necessary going to war.

Sen squirmed next to me "Hey, Sen, you alright?"

She began eating her dumpling again, and I noted a bite in her gift from the river spirit.

...

I couldn't get to sleep. The sun made the water sparkle just like home and not to mention I still was terrified of the thought of falling asleep and getting a nightmare. I was pretty sure there was dark circles under my eyes now, but I didn't care. I glanced back at the now almost empty room longingly, though.

Over the night most of my fellow cleaning crew had been whispering excitedly about a late guest who was tipping generously and they'd left, so it was just me and Sen. She looked fast asleep.

I sighed and closed my eyes, intending just to rest them. The sound of waves was supremely calming, too. I tilted my head- there was another noise... paper? The barest roars of pain?

My eyes snapped open and I stood to look around. I saw something squirming in the distance, and leaned over the railing and squinted my eyes to try and catch the sight. It was that dragon from earlier... I was worried to see red, and confused to see what looked from here like insects.

I leaned in even further when the dragon dropped into the water. I looked around- come on, there had to be something-

I decided the best thing to do was to use my own voice "HEY! OVER HERE!"

It barely responded. It was also close enough for me to tell the poor thing needed help badly... and was being chased by paper figures?! This place just got stranger and stranger. I tried again "COME ON! YOU CAN FIGHT IT!"

The dragon angled itself at me, it sinewy form starting to rocket over faster than anticipated. "SEN! SEN GET UP!" I grabbed her as she woke and pressed myself against the wall as the dragon ripped through the paper and wood nearby. I then set her down and began closing the doors to try and keep the stupid paper things out, but eventually began swatting them away from my face. Kingdom Hearts they were everywhere-

"Haku! Haku you're bleeding!"

I peeled another paper doll from my face and said "Well, he certainly is." Yeah, the sea green mane, white scales... those eyes were definitely Haku's. I checked myself for a potion-

(bleep). Those were in my other clothes!

Sen held out her gift from earlier "Haku, here, this could help you-" I scooped her up and backed away just in time for Haku to go shooting out again. Sen squirmed out of my grasp and ran out "He'll bleed to death!" She then began running elsewhere "I gotta help him!"

I dashed after "Sen! Hey! Don't do anything stupid!" I pulled my hand away from the railing. Wet, sticky, bloody. I gulped a little, wondering why it made me so nervous. I looked at the disheveled dorm, then sighed and ran after Sen "Fine I'm coming with you then!"

...

After a lot of climbing and clambering around, we eventually ended up in a very childish wing of Yubaba's room. So this is where her bratty child lived.

Yubaba had entered with a disgusted sigh "Oh look, he's bleeding all over the carpet... Ugh, get him out of here before it gets any worse, I have other things to attend to."

I was about to head over when I heard Sen's voice, muffled by cushions "Please I need to help Haku!"

Another one I didn't recognize "Stay here and play with me or I'll cry and mama will find you!"

I wormed myself into the cushions "Hey, someone is dying over there- woah you're a big baby."

Indeed this kiddo was HUGE. Looking him over he could probably be taller than me if standing. I shook my head "Hey, I'd love to play with you but-"

Sen started whimpering, and I noted that the brat was actually threatening to break her arm "Play with me!"

I reached over "Hey stop that-"

He squealed at the sight of my hand, and me and Sen ran for it. Looking at my hand, I guess the blood creeped him out.

Sen knelt next to Haku "Haku, come on, eat this!"

A couple of head were trying to roll him over to an exposed shaft in the floor. I batted them away "Quit that you little slugs!"

I tried to pick up Haku "We're gonna need to move him-"

"No you aren't dears."

I blinked, then saw that one of the paper dolls had followed us up here. A ghostly Yubaba appeared, and I bared my Keyblade at her "We're not leaving him for dead like you, you witch-"

"Now hold on, Aimai, I'm not Yubaba, I'm Zeniba, her twin sister." she replied. She then frowned at Haku "So this little thief thought he could steal my gold seal, hmm? Well I'll have you know that seal is cursed-"

There was a loud thumping, and we all turned to see that bratty big boy had managed to walk over on his own. "If someone doesn't play with me I'm gonna cry!" he blubbered. I rolled my eyes "Ugh, kid- ACK!"

Yubaba's pet crow swooped in, cawing and making a racket.

"Now, this won't do." Zeniba then waved her hand, and Yubaba's baby turned into a mouse while her crow became a buzzing little bee. "And so she doesn't suspect anything." she pointed her hand and the heads turned into a perfect replica of Yubaba's baby.

She turned back to us, and me and Sen backed away, Haku still bleeding out in our arms. "Now, about our thief-"

Haku lashed out at the paper doll, and Zeniba vanished "Ooh, a papercut..."

Unfortunately he tumbled- with us and our two new little companions clinging for dear life -down into the shaft.

"HAKU!" I yelled over the echoes of Sen screaming "HAKU I KNOW YOU'RE BADLY HURT BUT WE CAN'T FLY!"

He then managed to get enough energy to swoop around very ungracefully to try and get us to safety. I honestly didn't mind since it was better than dying somewhere-

We landed in a heap in Komaji's boiler room.

"What the-?! What's going on here?!"

While I tried to stop my head from spinning, Haku threw himself against the wall, trying to escape. Sen held out her medicine again "Haku! Haku you need to eat this!" She ate some "Come on, it's safe!"

I then watched, dumbstruck, as she pretty much all but shoved a portion into Haku's very toothy maw and clamped it shut with herself. Komaji placed a hand on my shoulder "My, my... he's quite injured, isn't he?"

Haku then threw up something covered in sticky black goo- no, it was that seal Zeniba mentioned! But the goo had turned into some kind of worm... "Get it! Get it don't let it get away!" Komaji bellowed. Me and Sen dashed after the thing, trying to catch it-

Sen squished it under her foot.

"Quickly! Quickly make this gesture!" Komaji commanded, demonstrating what to do, and Sen did so. He swiped his hand through the small gate-looking gesture "Evil begone!"

Sen then picked up the seal "This must be Zeniba's..."

I nodded in agreement. I glanced over to see Komaji tending to Haku- now his human-like self again "Ah, the poor boy..." I walked over and sat down next to him, and Sen sat next to me, both of us listening as the old boiler man continued "Washed up here a few years ago and could barely remember anything, then he became Yubaba's apprentice and things..." as he tried to find the right way to put it, I helped up the mouse that used to be Yubaba's son into my hoodie with a silent apology to Jiminy- after all, I said no one else would ride in there, but circumstances often like messing around with promises like that. Komaji resumed "things have been settling downward ever since."

Sen said "Well, I think we should bring this back to Zeniba and apologize."

"Hmmm, Zeniba's..." He then rummaged through his things, and pulled out a ticket "Here, she lives at Swamp Bottom, sixth stop on the train."

"Train?" I asked.

"Yes, now be careful: it used to run both ways, but now it's only one."

Sen smiled, and bowed to accept it "Thank you Komaji."

...

Oh it was so good to be back in my normal duds. Me and Sen were making our way to the exit of the bath house with nothing more than confused looks-

"Sen! There you are! You're needed immediately!"

I sighed as she was dragged off, then ran after. I couldn't leave her now, could I? We approached a closed off room- I could clearly hear yelling, and Yubaba trying to sedate the angry customer.

"SEN! I WANT SEN!"

"Yes! Yes she's on her way!"

Yubaba huffed out and brought Sen over "Go give him what he wants so he can leave already!" I reached for her, but the doors closed. "Aimai, get back to your work."

I glared at her "She's just a kid!"

"She's the one who decided to work here with you. Would you like to join her-"

Sen dashed out. Me and Yubaba glanced in and found that this customer- Mr. No Face again, but this time he was... more monstrous -was having none of her leaving. I took first instinct and ran, but I also summoned my Keyblade "COME ON! EVERYONE CLEAR IT IF YA WANNA LIVE!" I caught up with Sen, trying to ignore No Face's wrathful yells and other disgusting noises "What did you do?!"

"I gave him the rest of the medicine-"

I scooped her up, turned, and fired a few warning shots of Firaga at him, all the while trying to lead him out of such a public place. I felt my stomach twist at how much he'd thrown up- and how he was still continuing.

We dashed outside, finding Lin with a small boat readied "Sen! Aimai! Come on we need to get outta here!"

We hopped in. I looked back just in time to see No Face following "Ahh great..."

"Hey, give him a chance, Aimai."

Sen hopped off onto the tracks, and I followed. "Lin, We'll take it from here, you go back and make sure things run right, okay?" Lin huffed at me, but went back to the bathhouse grumbling. She yelled something at No Face, since he was following me and Sen.

Me and Sen hopped up onto the station and waited. Eventually the train rolled over, and Sen handed the shadowy-conductor-person our ticket to ride. He pointed at me, Sen, Yubaba's mouse-kid, her buzzing little crow, and then behind us. We glanced back to see No Face, then Sen nodded "He's coming, too."

So we boarded.

I got comfortable since it looked like this would be a really long train ride, but it was hard with No Face inches from the both of us. I still didn't like him a lot. I looked at the empty seating across from me and focused on that.

I blinked after a stop where a lot of people got off.

There was four other kids my age sitting across from me.

There was Roxas, his face the usual even calm that it was, staring at the now setting sun. There was a (very ambiguously gendered) girl on his left, hooded in Organization XIII black and silently staring at her lap. Roxas had his arm around a twin of his to his right, who was slumped in sleep- except his eyes had a dull and really freaky half-open look. And then right next to Roxas #2 was myself looking out the window behind him. Well, the bad me. The EVIL me. Golden eyes and raven hair and even that sickening muscle of a suit.

He slyly grinned at me out of the corner of his eye, and I felt my whole heart starting to burn with an echo of pain from earlier-

Roxas then very carefully shook his twin and he woke. He yawned, then Roxas pointed out the evil me. The Roxas twin slapped evil me upside his head, and while he sorely rubbed his head, the pain in my heart ceased.

The girl- very sure it was a girl now from the voice -giggled. Roxas smiled at her, laughing a little too. The Roxas clone (he now had the evil me in a headlock) glared at them, and they fell silent.

The girl then looked at me, still smiling, but everything faded into temporary static and my head hurt. That was Kairi's smile, wasn't it?! What was Kairi doing wearing-

"Aimai! Here's our stop!"

I saw Sen and No Face lingering at the exit. I blinked and looked back: they were all gone.

I ran up to them and we disembarked "D-did you see them?"

"Who? There was a lot of people there."

"The four kids across from us-"

"Are you feeling okay? There wasn't anyone there."

We walked along the path for awhile in silence. Eventually we ended up following a little lamp thing, and we wound up at a cottage. I knocked, and Yubaba- no, this was Zeniba -answered.

"Oh! It's you two again! Well, come in."

We confusedly complied to her cheerful offer, and Sen held out her seal "Um, we came to apologize, Miss Zeniba." We bowed "We came to say sorry for Haku."

She took the seal and smiled "Why thank you!" she went over and fixed up some food "And please, call me Granny."

I felt myself involuntarily grinning at the sight of cookies and cakes and MMM BOY SUGAR. We spent a good time just snacking and making all sorts of crafty things and wow it was the best thing ever! I was expecting Zeniba to be a stick in the mud!

We began sewing and knitting and messing around while Zeniba explained that the slug Sen had squished earlier was actually what Yubaba was using to control Haku.

Well, all's well that ends well.

I then looked at Yubaba's ex-son and ex-crow, and asked "Say, could you turn them back to normal?"

"Oh, they'll turn back when they want to." Was her reply. They both blinked a little, then shook their heads.

Zeniba handed me a glittering ribbon "Aimai, could you sew this? My eyes are old and tired."

I grabbed it and grabbed a needle without hesitation "Sure thing, miss." I sewed it up together, wondering why the stitching was so familiar and comforting. I handed it back to her and she gave it to Sen "Here, it was woven by your friends."

She nodded, then tied her hair up with it. She then asked anxiously "Say, Granny, will Haku be okay?"

Zeniba smiled "Of course he will. The curse on my seal broke because of your love for him."

I turned my head: was that a thump outside?

Zeniba went to the door "Speaking of which..."

She opened it, Haku in his dragon form waiting patiently for us. Sen dashed out "Haku! Haku you're okay!" She hugged him by his muzzle "You're alright!" I smiled "You made it, buddy."

Sen backed away as Zeniba approached "Now, Haku, I can tell that you're not all bad, but I am still very cross with you for taking my golden seal." Me and Sen pouted, but she added "But I will forgive you if you promise to look after Sen-"

"Miss," Sen interrupted. She then smiled uncertainly and shook her head "It's Chihiro."

I rubbed the back of my neck with an amused grin spreading "And I'm actually Sora."

We both blinked at the fog lifting in our minds, and exclaimed together "Oh! That's right!" After a brief glance at each other, we laughed. Sen- nah, gotta remember it's Chihiro, climbed up onto Haku and I did the same (after taking a quick roll call for our mouse and bee friends) and soon we were sailing through the sky.

After the initial elation of flying, me and Chihiro settled down and watched the lands below. Chihiro then said "Hey, Haku, I can't believe I didn't mention it before, but I've remembered something."

"Oh really?" I asked. Haku was silent and stoic as he had been.

Chihiro resumed "When I was little, I lost my shoe in a river and nearly drowned... The river was called the Kohaku River..." she leaned into his ear some more "Haku, I think your real name is the Kohaku River!"

Haku stiffened, his scales shedding away as he transformed back. Soon we were free falling away. I was a little too low to really hear it, but judging by Haku and Chihiro's exchange above me, she was right. I smiled at the sight of Haku being so happy. And then we were scooped away from what would be a unhappily ending flight and flew the rest of the way back to the bathhouse.

To my surprise, a crowd had gathered in front of a group of pigs. What was going on?

Haku glared at Yubaba "Well, our deal is a deal, let Chihiro and her parents go."

Yubaba glared back "I don't see my son."

Yubaba's mouse-kiddo started crying, and I gently cupped him in my hands "Hey, hey now she just doesn't realize who you are."

Yubaba then turned to Chihiro "Well, I'm giving you one final test. You complete this and I'll let you all go." She pointed at the pigs "Which one of these are your parents?"

There was an outcry of unfairness. Everyone seemed displeased with the trial. I stared at the pigs, unable to discern them from each other, let alone what used to be human. This was really unfair.

"Give her a chance you hag." I hissed.

Her son flopped off of my shoulder and transformed back into himself "If you don't let her go I'll cry!"

Yubaba ran her hand over him "Oh! My darling baby! Are you alright did they hurt you- oh you're standing on your own!"

He only continued, tears bubbling up "Let them go mama!"

"Oh I would sweetie, but there was a deal."

"Hey, Granny!" Chihiro interrupted them sternly "I'll take your test!"

"But Chi-"

She smiled at me "Don't worry, Sora, I can do this." She then took a deep breath and studied each swine closely. You could hear a pin drop. To rub it in, Yubaba said "Now pick carefully, I'm only giving you one choice!"

Chihiro then looked at her confusedly "But ma'am... my parents aren't here."

Yubaba wagged her finger at her "Are you sure? Final choice?"

She nodded.

The pigs puffed into workers, all of them yelling with glee "YOU GOT IT~!"

Yubaba looked surprised, then she stood aside "Okay fine, get out of my sight."

Chihiro bowed "Thank you, Granny."

She huffed.

We ran up to Haku, who was waiting with a smile. As we ran off, Chihiro asked "Where are my parents?"

"They're waiting for you by the tunnel, they woke up there when you passed Yubaba's test."

Haku halted us at the point where there used to be water, a rippling field now in its place. "Well, my journey ends here. Chihiro, just cross back to your world, and it's over."

She looked at both of us "Will I see you again?"

I smiled "Sure!"

Haku nodded "I'll go back to Yubaba and have a word or two with her, and I'll always be with you," he pointed to her heart "in here."

She then ran off, and Haku added "Don't look back, or you can't get home!" She nodded, but didn't even flinch back. I folded my arms "I'm gonna miss her."

Haku turned around "She'll be fine. You can always come back, right?"

He left, patting my shoulder "You did a great job, Sora."

...

I was bone tired from all that adventure when I arrived back in Traverse Town. I yawned "Okay, I'll just head back and na-" Wandanyan tackled me to the ground before I could finish. So I sat there awhile, letting it lick me to oblivion. I honestly missed it just as much.

"Hey, captain smiley face."

I turned and looked up to see Neku bending over me "Oh, heya Neku, what's up?"

He shrugged a little and stood "Just figured I'd ask ya somethin'."

"And that would be...?" my head tilted.

Neku tugged his collar up a little more and adjusted his headphones "A bathhouse opened up over in Fifth, wanna join me for a guys night out?"

I nodded, smiling "It's a date then!"

Neku glared at me and barked "Don't call it that!"

I blinked "What? I was just acknowledging-"

"I get it, but that doesn't mean it's a date." Neku said a little less sharply "Dates are for sweethearts n' stuff like that."

"Ohhhhh." was my only reply. I honestly didn't really distinguish it like that. Cuz ya know, isn't date another word for time? You set up an appointment at a certain time, and that's a date so ya know...

Oh I just won't bother with it.

...

I sighed happily as I sank into the warm water. Having spent awhile working at a place like this, I think I could appreciate it a whole lot more. Neku- even with a placid expression in full view for once -didn't really express much, but I could tell from how loose he was that he enjoyed it at least a little.

"Soooo... what now?" I asked, the silence prodding me to speak.

"We shut up and enjoy things." Neku said. He opened an eye to look at me- funnily enough he'd seemed a little intrigued and worried (really subtly though, I don't think he noticed what was leaking out to his body language) since we'd gotten into swimming trunks to enjoy our bath "You also gotta relax."

"I am." I said, confused by his comment.

He sidled over "Not really, hold on a tic." He then began giving me a massage "Uh, Neku-"

"I had a part time job as a masseur back in Shibuya." he cut me off. I grinned "Neat." I then turned over to let him do his thing "Could ya tell me more?" I felt a new hesitation in Neku's movements now, but he then he opened up about his home. It was interesting to hear about a place that was a city, but way more active and populated than the Coliseum or Radiant Garden or Traverse Town.

"...!" Suddenly something in my shoulders and back turned into noodles. Neku backed away "That should do it." I laid back against the edge of the tub "wowthatfeelsreallygood."

Neku chuckled "You're relaxing." He scratched his head "Funny, for someone so easygoing you were awfully tense-"

"COWABUNGA YO!"

Me and Neku spluttered out mirth and rage simultaneously. I high-fived our new arrival Beat while Neku began wringing out his hair "Beat, this is a bathhouse, not a public pool!"

"Chill Phones, I didn't mess anything up." I agreed "He just splashed us, that's all."

"Yo Sora,"

"Hmm?"

"Wassup with the thing on your chest?"

The languid pace in the air tensed. I knew exactly what he was talking about, but my eyes darted down anyways: ah yes, that stupid little scar. I sent my gaze back up to the wall, my head filling with memories of An- Xehanort's Heartless, Kairi, Riku, Darkness, and...

and...

Death.

"Beat, that's kinda personal-" Neku began before I waved him off with a small lip flutter "Oh come on, it's not that personal-"

"You're tense again." Neku countered as his hand wandered to my shoulders again "Quit undoing my work."

Beat leaned in, still intent on his question "So what is it?"

"A scar." I said simply. I didn't feel like going into it.

"How did ya- OW!" Neku decided to be as blunt as possible with his remark to Beat's obtuseness. I shot him a glance of thanks. Things settled into uneasy silence.

"So, where'd ya go this time?" Neku asked.

I smiled and began recounting my adventures with Chihiro, deciding it to be a much more pleasant topic than how I nearly died to save Kairi. I started weaving the tale perfectly, letting the words and emotions and acting pour out-

"BWAAAHHH!"

I only turned my back... that wasn't that scary, right? I looked behind me to see Beat staring at my back in horror "DUE YOUR BA-!" Neku slapped a hand over his mouth. He shook his head, glaring at his companion "Nothing, just Beat being Beat."

Meanwhile I ran my hand down my spine- there was several ridges. I glanced at my reflection in the water, then let my cheeks puff up and sag in a long sigh. I'd almost forgotten about that.

"Sora, man, you're only 15, right?!" Beat finally got Neku's hand off.

I nodded, feeling myself drifting in memory a bit.

"Daaannnggg..." Beat whispered "I don't know anyone who can have braggin' rights like that."

"They aren't bragging rights you ignoramous." Neku snapped "They're SCARS."

As they bickered, I sank into the water. Kingdom Hearts that was a year-ish ago, too. I felt myself slipping away even more, the painful memory consuming all concepts of awareness. Yet, it stayed blurry, then sharp, almost waving around between the two opposites.

_I can't believe one of these new Heartless pinned me-_

_No, no it was just a small mistake-!_

_NO PLEASE I SWEAR IT WAS SMALL! NO, PLEASE NO STOP IT! STOP IT THAT HURTS! PLEASE I'M BEGGING YOU-!_

_Gone._

_They're gone._

_They're all gone back into their cursed shadows._

_"Shhh, yer fine Sora, Donald'll fix ya up. Yer fine... just fine..."_

_I couldn't feel my back through all that fire on it-_

_Crying. I was dimly aware of crying-_

"SORA~ EARTH TO SORA!"

I snapped myself up from the water with a screech. After panting a bit, I jumped at Neku's hand on my back again "Dude, calm down." He turned me around "Sora, look at me." I stared at him, my breaths quick and my eyes teary "Sora look at me in my eyes." I felt myself calming down- blue, like mine, like Kairi's, like the sea I'd lived by so long "Sora, you're alright."

I nodded, taking a deep breath "Yeah... I'm fine..." I bent over, resting my head in my hands and staring at my watery reflection "I'm fine..." I rubbed at my eyes. I was fine. My back was aching from the memory of Neoshadows reducing it to nothing but shreds of skin and a whole lot of blood, but I was fine.

I smiled "I'm okay thanks to you guys."

* * *

(muffled crying in the distance) GAY~

Sorry for taking so long on this guys!


End file.
